The Miles College Choir is a choral ensemble consisting of auditioned students who have a devotion and appreciation for music. The students who are a part of the Choir strive to present a high quality choral experience by performing all genres of music with excellence. To continually nurture the smaller ensemble which evolves from the Choir, The Golden Voices are a smaller group comprised of elite singers selected from the Choir and chosen by the Director to present an equally excellent performance in the ensemble arrangement. Both choral ensembles perform on and off campus throughout the year and present repertoire of diverse musical styles and various historical periods.
The Miles College Choir and The Golden Voices are the official choral representative of the institution. Membership is by audition only and scholarships are available. Under the leadership of President Bobbie Knight, we exude the message of Culture, Class and Civility through song.
The Miles College Choir has journeyed to many places displaying outstanding performances and garnering great accolades as they travel throughout the country. In recent years, the choir has participated in…
As the Miles College Choir, we believe the true beauty of music is that it connects people; it carries a message, and we, the musicians and the singers, are the messengers.
The Choir is presently under the direction of Mrs. Valerie R. Harris and she is assisted by Mr. Patrick J. Whitehead.
More about Valerie R. Harris:
An Alabama native, Valerie Reese Harris is currently a professor of music and Director of Choirs at Miles College. Before securing the position in 2016, she earned a BA and excelled as a classical pianist at the prestigious University of Montevallo (Montevallo, AL), where she was quickly recognized and offered the position as university accompanist after graduation. Valerie also earned a MA with Distinction in Music and Worship from Liberty University.
Valerie’s musical partnerships with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Tuskegee University, Alabama A & M University, Birmingham-Southern College, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and a host of other professional music forums in teaching and accompaniment, continue to grow. She has also worked with renowned arranger and conductor Henry Panion, III by serving as choral director for several projects he has authored. April 2017, Valerie partnered with Maestro Stacey V. Gibbs as co-composer and accompanist. This composition, Freedom had its world premiere on the stage of Carnegie Hall where she was also the featured pianist.
Professor Harris has served several churches as Minister of Music with duties ranging from conductor, pianist and coordinator of music and worship ministries. As the Director of the Miles College Choir, she has strengthened its program by growing its membership and diversifying the repertoire. Her choir was selected amongst other university choirs within the state to perform at the Alabama Music Educators Association (AMEA), the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Southern Regional Collegiate Festival and the Alabama Bicentennial Celebration (2019). Miles College Choir is also the choir that performed in the award-winning Dreams of Hope documentary.
Not only has her choir been recognized for its distinct sound, but Valerie’s teaching methods have also appealed to national record labels. Some of these labels have employed her services around Choir Vocalization/Band Direction for Recordings. Valerie has also provided services for artists such as Judy Jacobs, Juanita Bynum, Jonathan Butler, Joseph Garlington, Joe Pace and a host of contemporary Christian music artists. Professor Harris recently served as alto coach for the 105 Historically Black Colleges and Universities National Choir – The 105 Voices of History in collaboration with the United States Navy Band on the national virtual premiere of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Professor Harris has successfully demonstrated her ability to cross musical genres with ease and has maintained her place in classical, gospel & contemporary Christian music effectively.